This was published 7 years ago
Melbourne Boomers star Maddie Garrick speaks on importance of WNBL regional games
By Roy Ward
If anyone appreciates the potential impact of Melbourne Boomers' trip to Geelong this Saturday night, it's Maddie Garrick.
The 24-year-old guard has played with the Opals, passed 150 WNBL games this season and is now one of the leaders at the Boomers.
Regional star: Maddie Garrick knows how important it is to get WNBL games into the regions having being inspired when Bendigo Spirit played Perth in her home town of Shepparton in 2008.Credit: Mick Connolly
But she was first inspired to play in the WNBL when Bendigo Spirit played Perth in her home town of Shepparton in 2008.
At the time Garrick was on the way to making her first Vic Country side for the under-16 national championships and she still remembers being floored by the talent on show.
"It was crazy, I just kept thinking these women are amazing," Garrick recalled.
"We had the Shepparton Gators [Big V side] back then but to see the national league, to see the best players at that age, it let me see where I could aim to play."
The WNBL has long welcomed players from regional Australia including some of the greats such as Lauren Jackson (Albury) and Kristi Harrower (Bendigo), while clubs such as Bendigo Spirit and Townsville Fire play around the country each week.
But playing regional games like the Boomers' clash with Adelaide Lighting on Saturday night can leave a lasting mark on those who come along.
As an active, outdoor-loving teenager, Garrick said she had never understood about the WNBL until seeing it live.
"I remember that when we went to the game I kept wondering how can I be as good as them because they were so good," Garrick added.
"I was just a kid who was always outside, so seeing them on court I just thought 'wow this actually happens, these are the best players in Australia'."
The Boomers have endured one of their most trying seasons and their 4-11 win-loss record shows it. But they have their full side back on court and haven't written off making an impact in their final nine games, starting with a win over the Lightning (0-15).
"Guy Molloy [the Boomers coach] said at training this week that while we are still a mathematical chance for finals then we are still a chance," Garrick said.
"Whether that's a high chance or a low chance it doesn't matter. This year the league is so close that teams have upset each other all the time.
"We have shifted our focus, we want to get a win streak going and we've put more focus on our defence both as a team and with goals for everyone individually. I think that helped us and brought us together."
Once Saturday night's game is over, the Boomers and Lightning will warm down on the court then mingle with the supporters as they do after every game.
Pictures and autographs are the prizes of the day and Garrick knows those young supporters are no different to how she was after that Shepparton game in 2008.
"Everyone has different personalities, you have some kids who come up and give you a hug like you are part of the family and others who are shy because you might be their idol," Garrick said.
"That's half the fun, to make sure they all feel welcome and shouldn't be shy because we are just regular people who can play basketball well."
Melbourne Boomers' visit to Geelong will be the first WNBL game in the city since 2008.
The Boomers play Adelaide Lightning at the Geelong Arena on Saturday at 7.30pm.